The Estadio Azteca in Mexico City becomes the first stadium to host a third World Cup opener on Thursday, further cementing its status as one of the most iconic grounds in footballing history after welcoming the 1970 and 1986 editions.

The hallowed venue, modernised for the occasion, plays host to the curtain-raiser between Mexico and South Africa, with the home nation desperate to end the curse that has seen them fail to win on each of their previous seven opening-day World Cup matches.

Read moreFootball and politics collide as World Cup kicks off in shadow of war, travel bans

“We must break that trend,” coach Javier Aguirre told reporters at the Azteca, four decades after sporting Mexico’s green jersey as a player the last time the country hosted a World Cup.

The choice of the Azteca for the curtain-raiser, a day before co-hosts Canada and the United States stage their first games, is a nod to the venue’s historical significance. This is where the great Pelé lifted his third World Cup title – a feat unmatched to this day – at the 1970 edition, regarded by many as the finest ever.

Days before Brazil’s victory in the final, the Azteca had also hosted the “Game of the Century” between Italy and West Germany, a seven-goal classic that saw an injured Franz Beckenbauer soldier on with his arm in a sling and Gigi Riva’s Azzurri prevail in overtime.

Sixteen years later, 112,000 delirious fans packed inside the Azteca witnessed the two most famous goals in football history, both scored by Maradona at the 1986 World Cup, the first with a little help from the “Hand of God”.

Read morePelé’s third, Baggio’s miss and the ‘Hand of God’: Iconic World Cups in Mexico and the US

“Cosmic kite, what planet are you from that you can leave so many Englishmen in your wake?” shouted Victor Hugo Morales in his famous live commentary, sobbing with joy after the Argentinian star sliced through the England defence to score his second, memorable goal.

Full circle

The Azteca has been upgraded and refurbished since those heady days, with capacity brought down to just over 80,000 seats ahead of the 2026 tournament. Still, South Africa’s coach Hugo Broos has warned his players to block out an expected wall of sound as they take on the co-hosts in Thursday’s opener.

“They will have 85,000 Mexicans shouting and singing. But we have to focus on our game,” said the Belgian coach. “And if we can do that, if we are not too influenced by the noise of 85,000 Mexicans, then we can have a good game.”

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It will be a full-circle moment for Broos, who was part of the Belgium team that lost to Aguirre’s Mexico at the Azteca in 1986. He plans to retire after this tournament, wrapping up a 56-year football career.

“No one in Hollywood could have scripted it better – I played in a World Cup opener and now, four decades later, I will be one of the coaches in a World Cup opener,” he said. “It was a fantastic event and ‌something I will never forget, 40 years ago when we played our opening game ⁠against Mexico. That was when I felt how special the World Cup is.”

For South Africa, the fixture carries its own echoes. They opened the 2010 World Cup against Mexico in Johannesburg, drawing 1-1 after Siphiwe Tshabalala scored one of the tournament’s most memorable goals to the deafening soundtrack of vuvuzelas.

The buzzing horns remain intimately associated with the first World Cup on African soil, which also gave us Shakira’s anthem “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”. The vuvuzelas have been banned this time, but the Colombian superstar is back for the curtain-raiser at the Azteca with her latest ode to football, “Dai Dai”.

As Manchester United continue to make some huge decisions regarding Michael Carrick’s team and beyond, a huge deal has been made

Manchester United have taken out an additional $125million (£108m) in long-term debt after refinancing the borrowings linked to the 2005 Glazer Family takeover. This loan became apparent in documents filed to the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission.

They stated the club has restructured its $425m (£318m) senior secured notes, which were initially due for repayment next year.

As a result, $550m (£412m) stands as the refinanced debt, which carries an interest rate of 5.36 per cent, when it was 3.79 per cent back in 2015. This increase is understood to be worth around £9.7m a year.

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While they were due for repayment this time next year, this deadline has been pushed back to 2031, but the annual interest payments will rise by around £10m – in the 2024-25 campaign, United shelled out £37m for interest costs.

United have two main branches of debt, with one being the senior secured notes and a secured term loan facility understood to be valued at $225m (£168.3m).

These can be traced back to Malcolm Glazer’s highly controversial takeover which saw £604m of debt be piled onto the club.

When all is considered, United’s overall debt will stand at £728m with £485m being backdated to the Glazers’ leveraged takeover. However, within the notes to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, an extra £93m in cash has been earmarked for “general corporate purposes”.

United have already been active in the transfer market. They have all but signed Brazilian midfielder Ederson from Atalanta, who is expected to cost around £39m.

In addition, they are the favourites to sign £80m rated West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandez. The signings for Michael Carrick’s first season as United’s full-time manager may not end there.

United are also believed to be in the market for a left-back, a forward, a back-up goalkeeper and a central defender. The extra funds generated from the above refinancing could be put towards these transfer endeavours.

Moreover, the club may also look to access a £250m fund from a revolving credit facility, having repaid around £110m of it since April. United’s campaign last season has proved to be a valuable one.

Their Champions League qualification and third placed finish is believed to have banked the Reds around £191.5m when prize money and other financial implications are considered.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

The Sunday sports schedule is loaded with the 2026 World Cup continuing, UFC Freedom 250 taking place at the White House and Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, making it a perfect day to claim the latest DraftKings promo code to earn $200 in bonus bets instantly after your first $5 wager. We’ve used the SportsLine Projection Model and our team of experts to craft our Sunday best bets, which include sports picks from Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador in the World Cup 2026, Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final, and Diego Lopez vs. Steve Garcia on the UFC White House card, which begins at 8 p.m. ET. Claim the latest DraftKings promo code, where new users get $200 in bonus bets instantly after your first $5 wager: 

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Sunday best bets at DraftKings Sportsbook

• Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador: Under 2.5 goals scored (-250)
• Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes: Vegas to win outright (-105)
• UFC Freedom 250: Diego Lopes to beat Steve Garcia (-148)

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Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador: Under 2.5 goals scored (-250)

“If you LOVE high scoring matchups with fierce attacks, then please, I beg you, stay away from this match. We have a match between two incredible defenses, who prioritize sitting back and parking the bus,” SportsLine soccer expert Jon Eimer said. “Ivory Coast won their group stage without conceding a single goal over 10 matches. Ecuador finished second in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, conceded just five goals over 18 matches. Neither team has a great attack, but both teams are absolute walls on defense. I think this ends 0-0.” Back the Under here and claim $200 in bonus bets with your first $5 bet as a new user:

Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes: Vegas to win outright (-105)

Vegas has its back against the wall going into a Game 6 at home after suffering a 4-2 defeat in Carolina on Thursday to fall behind 3-2 in the series. However, this has been a seesaw series and the energy level should be high on home ice tonight. Mitch Marner was held without a point in Game 5 and he’ll need to make a much larger impact on Sunday as the leader point producer in the NHL this postseason. The model predicts that he helps the Golden Knights come through in 53% of simulations. Back Vegas at DraftKings here and claim $200 in bonus bets instantly after your first $5 wager as a new user:

UFC Freedom 250: Diego Lopes to beat Steve Garcia (-148)

“This is the one fight in which the underdog has seen some steady action, but we like Lopes on the reduced price from an opener of -200. Lopes came up short in two title bids against Volkanovski but should have the edge in this matchup,” UFC expert Josh Nagel said. “Steve Garcia is a dangerous brawler but the last time Lopes saw a similar matchup, against Jean Silva, he took him out in short order. Capitalize on the discount price here.” Back Lopes at DraftKings here and claim $200 in bonus bets instantly after your first $5 wager as a new user:  

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This evening, the UFC will host an unprecedented event at the White House, putting on a series of fights to celebrate 250 years of the United States.

The UFC’s cage has been constructed on the South Lawn, where seven fights will take place – on the 80th birthday of US president Donald Trump, coincidentally.

Trump is a close friend of UFC president and CEO Dana White, who promised the greatest card in MMA history. And although fans have expressed disappointment in the actual quality of the bout list, it is still a strong collection of contests.

Here’s all you need to know:

When is the UFC White House event?

The event, named ‘UFC Freedom 250’, will take place on Sunday 14 June. The fights will begin at 5pm PT / 7pm CT / 8pm ET (1am BST on Monday).

How can I watch it?

The event will stream live on Paramount+ in the US and UK. TNT Sports and HBO Max also allow access to the fights in the UK. It was thought that CBS could show some of the action in the US, but Dana White said at the final pre-fight press conference: “It’s very simple, it’s on Paramount+. The whole show is on Paramount+.”

Who is fighting?

Subject to change; ‘C’ denotes champion:

Ilia Topuria (C) vs Justin Gaethje (lightweight title) – related: Topuria teases Trump in Oval Office meeting

Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane (interim heavyweight title)

Sean O’Malley vs Aiemann Zahabi (bantamweight)

Derrick Lewis vs Josh Hokit (heavyweight) – related: Hokit throws up at weigh-in; ‘So what? I was drinking’

Mauricio Ruffy vs Michael Chandler (lightweight)

Bo Nickal vs Kyle Daukaus (middleweight) – related: Daukaus claims he doesn’t deserve to fight at White House

Diego Lopes vs Steve Garcia (featherweight)

Who can attend? Can I get a ticket?

There will be no general admission for the White House fights, which are expected to be invite-only. However, fans were able to apply for free tickets to watch the fights from the Ellipse park, next to the White House.

White, 56, said in May: “[Trump] wants this to be mostly for the military, so there’s gonna be 4,300 people there. I just literally went over it right now; 4,300 people, and most of them will be military. 100 per cent [it’s a ‘thank you’ to the military].

“We’re gonna give away about 85,000 tickets [to the Ellipse]. There’s a process, you have to register for tickets, and they’re free […] For those who don’t know, the Ellipse is a massive park. Literally, you’ll be able to see the fight[s] from the Ellipse, but we have screens, we’ve got stages, we’ve got music.”

What other events will take place this week?

A press conference took place at the Lincoln Memorial on Friday 12 June. On Saturday 13 June, a fan festival will play out at the Ellipse, a large park located next to the White House. That will begin at 12.30pm PT / 2.30pm CT / 3.30pm ET (8.30pm BST). Thereafter, the ceremonial weigh-in for the fight card will get started at 5.30pm PT / 7.30pm CT / 8.30pm ET (1.30am BST on Sunday), followed by a concert from the Zac Brown Band at 6.30pm PT / 8.30pm CT / 9.30pm ET (2.30am BST on Sunday).

Finally, the fight card itself will take place on Sunday 14 June, beginning at 5pm PT / 7pm CT / 8pm ET (1am BST on Monday).

What will security be like?

Speaking last September, White said: “The last time I was at the White House, I went up on the roof of the White House, and they’ve got snipers with .50 cals all over the roof of the White House. It’s pretty crazy. But yes, I mean, the security is gonna be a massive issue, because at the end of the day, secret service’s job is to protect the president.”

In late April, Mr Trump was seemingly targeted by a shooter at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, and alleged suspect Cole Allen was later charged with attempted assassination.

In fact, White was present and said afterwards: “It started to get noisy. Tables started getting flipped over, guys running with guns and they were screaming ‘get down!’ I didn’t get down. It was f***ing awesome, and I literally took every minute of it in. It was a pretty crazy, unique experience. We were sitting right in front of the table, right in front of where the president was. Nobody got tackled but guys came in looking for shooters, I thought the shooter was over by us or something.”

Australia made a dream start to their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with an impressive 2-0 victory over Turkey in Vancouver, Canada.

Goals from Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe secured all three points for the Socceroos, who joined the United States at the top of Group D after the Americans defeated Paraguay 4-1.

Although Turkey enjoyed large spells of possession and created several chances, Australia showed discipline, organisation and clinical finishing to claim a famous victory.

Taking Chances Matters

One of the biggest lessons from the match was the importance of taking chances when they come.

Turkey spent much of the game attacking and finished with more shots, but they struggled to convert their opportunities. Australia, on the other hand, were ruthless in front of goal.

Irankunda opened the scoring in the 27th minute after a quick counter-attack, finishing calmly to put his side ahead. Metcalfe then sealed the victory in the 75th minute with a powerful low strike from outside the penalty area.

The difference between the two teams was simple – Australia made their chances count.

Australia’s Defence Was Outstanding

Another major lesson was the strength of Australia’s defence.

Turkey constantly pushed forward and delivered crosses into the box, but the Australian back line stood firm throughout the contest.

Defender Harry Souttar was a giant presence at the heart of the defence, winning aerial battles and blocking dangerous efforts. Whenever Turkey looked like finding a way back into the game, Australia had an answer.

Their defensive discipline frustrated Turkey and played a huge role in securing a valuable clean sheet.

Patrick Beach Seized His Opportunity

Goalkeeper Patrick Beach was one of the surprise selections before the match, but he justified the decision with an excellent performance.

The young goalkeeper remained calm under pressure and produced several important saves, including a smart stop from a Hakan Calhanoglu free-kick late in the game.

Beach showed confidence beyond his years and proved he can be trusted on the biggest stage.

The Counter-Attack Can Be a Powerful Weapon

Australia demonstrated how effective a counter-attacking approach can be against possession-based teams.

While Turkey controlled much of the ball, Australia stayed compact and waited for opportunities to break forward quickly.

The opening goal came from exactly that approach, with Irankunda using his pace and composure to punish Turkey on the break.

It was a game plan that coach Tony Popovic’s side executed perfectly.

Group D Is Wide Open

The victory has placed Australia in a strong position after the opening round of matches.

With three points already secured, the Socceroos have taken a major step towards reaching the knockout stage. However, they cannot afford to relax.

Future opponents will study this performance and look for ways to break down Australia’s defensive structure. The challenge for the Socceroos now is to maintain the same level of concentration and efficiency in their remaining group matches.

For now, Australia can celebrate a memorable victory. They may not have dominated possession, but they showed organisation, resilience and clinical finishing – qualities that could make them one of the surprise packages of the tournament.

Official lineups for Mexico – South Africa

Mexique : Rangel – Sanchez, Montes, Vasquez, Gallardo – Lira – Gutierrez, Alvarado, Fidalgo, Quinones – Jimenez

Afrique du Sud : Williams – Sibisi, Okon, Mbokazi – Mudau, Mokoena, Sithole, Adams, Modiba – Rayners, Foster

For the third time in its history, Mexico’s iconic Azteca Stadium will host the opening match of the World Cup on Thursday at 3pm ET as Mexico take on South Africa in the first of the tournament’s 104 matches. 

Bafana Bafana and El Tri faced each other in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup, drawing 1-1 in Johannesburg. South Africa’s most recent major tournament ended in January when they were knocked out by Cameroon in the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16.

Mexico are unbeaten in their last eight matches, equalling their longest undefeated run heading into a World Cup and giving Javier Aguirre’s side a timely boost in confidence ahead of the tournament. More than 80,000 fans are expected to pack the renovated Azteca Stadium for the opening match in what promises to be a festive atmosphere.

The match will be preceded by a 15-minute opening ceremony featuring, among others, Colombian superstar Shakira, who will perform the World Cup anthem “Dai Dai” alongside Nigerian singer Burna Boy.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)

The New York Knicks have won their third NBA Championship, ending a 53-year wait with a 94-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

The Knicks won the best-of-seven series 4-1 and showed great fight throughout, coming from behind in all four of their wins. It is their first title since 1973.

In Game 5 at Frost Bank Center, the Knicks once again had to fight back. They trailed by 16 points in the second quarter and were still down by 10 early in the fourth quarter before producing another strong comeback.

Jalen Brunson led the way and was named Finals Most Valuable Player. He scored 45 points, including 15 in the final quarter, as he inspired another dramatic turnaround.

“I have no words. It’s everything I dreamed of,” Brunson said. “I’m in awe. It’s why I came to New York.

“Whenever someone counted us out, we found a way to come back and do something about it.

“Whatever you put in front of us, we’re going to find a way… every time we step on this court. Every time.”

Brunson’s 45 points set a new Knicks Finals record, passing Willis Reed’s 38 points in 1970. He also became only the fourth player in history to score at least 45 points in a title-winning game.

The Knicks were still behind by 10 points with under eight minutes left, but Brunson scored 10 straight points to level the game at 83-83.

He then put New York ahead 90-88 with just over a minute remaining. Free throws from Josh Hart and OG Anunoby helped extend the lead, as the Knicks held on in a tense finish.

San Antonio pushed hard late on. Victor Wembanyama missed a three-point attempt, while Stephon Castle’s dunk reduced the gap to two points with 16 seconds left. But the Knicks stayed calm from the free-throw line to seal the win.

Dylan Harper scored 25 points off the bench for the Spurs, while Wembanyama finished with 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.

After the game, Wembanyama admitted his team made too many mistakes.

“We weren’t ready. I wasn’t ready to win a ring,” he said. “We’re not lacking in talent or ability, but we make too many mistakes. I make too many mistakes.

“This is the biggest lesson of my life. It’s painful but I’m not running away from that. I’m using it to fuel me.”

It’s time for one of the most unique sporting events of all time. UFC Freedom 250 touches down on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday for a seven-fight card, headlined by two title fights. Lightweight champion Ilia Topuria looks to unify his title against interim champ Justin Gaethje in the main event while an interim heavyweight champion is crowned when Alex Pereira takes on Ciryl Gane. It all goes down as part of a celebration of America’s 250th birthday as well as President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. 

The heat between Topuria and Gaethje has intensified throughout the week in D.C. Topuria took exception to Gaethje father calling him “another short guy” as well as the interim champion appearing to reference his now ex-wife after a nasty divorce. Gaethje, for his part, doesn’t believe he ever made a bad comment about Topuria’s ex and believes that the champion is just looking for extra motivation.

Sign up for Paramount+ and watch UFC Freedom 250 live for no additional fee — every UFC numbered event and UFC Fight Night is included with your subscription! Plans start as low as $8.99/month or $89.99/year!

A win on Sunday for Gaethje would be a fitting cap to an incredible career in which he twice held the interim title. “The Highlight” is known for racking up performance bonuses, but has never been able to get over the hump for the full title. 

The co-main event on Sunday night is equally compelling to fight fans. Pereira, in just 12 fights over five years, has become one of the most beloved action stars of a generation. After conquering both middleweight and light heavyweight, the Brazilian looks to make history by taking a piece of the heavyweight title, which would make him the first fighter to do so across three divisions. He faces Gane, who has repeatedly come up short in these spots. Gane holds a 10-2, 1 NC record in UFC since joining the promotion in 2019. He earned the interim title once before, defeating Derrick Lewis by TKO in 2021. But he failed to unify the title in a decision loss to Francis Ngannou and then was quickly submitted by Jon Jones in 2023 for the vacant title. Gane then returned to the title picture in 2025 and looked strong against Tom Aspinall before delivering a brutal double eye poke that ended the fight in a no contest.

The rest of the card features some interesting matchups of rising contenders and veterans looking to make a statement on the biggest stage imaginable. That’s especially true in the other heavyweight showdown set for Sunday when all-time knockout king Derrick Lewis takes on rising contender Josh Hokit. Lewis was a late add to the card after not being in the original plans. He gets one of the fastest rising names in the sport in Hokit who is coming off a fight of the year contender against Curtis Blaydes in April.

Below is the complete fight card for UFC Freedom 250, along with the latest odds. Check back all week long for the latest news, features and other content around this massive event.

Where to watch UFC Freedom 250

• Date: Sunday, June 14 | Location: The White House — Washington, D.C.
• Start time: 8 p.m. ET (Main card) 
• Watch live: Subscribe to Paramount+

UFC Freedom 250 fight card, odds

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook (as of June 14)

UFC Freedom 250 countdown

Who wins UFC White House: Topuria vs. Gaethje, and how exactly does the fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks and analysis from the incomparable expert who is up over $1,500 on his UFC main-card picks, and find out.